HISTORIC PRESS RELEASE : SRA and BAA Join Forces to Develop West Anglia Route [November 2001]
The press release issued by the Strategic Rail Authority on 26 November 2001.
The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) and BAA plc have today agreed to commission feasibility work aimed at upgrading the West Anglia railway link from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport and Cambridge to accommodate expected future airport and domestic passenger growth.
The work, which BAA is supporting to the tune of £500,000 will initially consider infrastructure requirements beyond the signal renewal work already underway in light of potential demand for the Stansted Express and commuter services and the impact of the development of Stratford and the Channel Tunnel rail link.
Mike Grant, the SRA’s Chief Executive, welcomed today’s announcement:
“Rail Links to airports form an important part of the SRA’s future strategy for the railways.
“The Stansted Express has been successful, with an increase in services in recent years to cope with a marked modal shift from road to rail.
“BAA’s involvement in developing the West Anglia line is most welcome. We have a common aim to further improve services for all users of this route, whose success is closely linked to that of Stansted Airport where ambitious extension plans are being pursued. There is still a long way to go to identify the right enhancement and secure funding but this is a useful first step.”
BAA Stansted Managing Director, John Stent, said:
“BAA is delighted to be working with the SRA on this important study. We have lodged a planning application to grow Stansted to about twenty five million passengers a year. The study sees how we can improve service standards for everyone in the coming years and also looks longer term to ensure that capacity will be in place should the full potential of Stansted’s existing runway ever be realised.
This may be a one off opportunity to enhance the capacity of the line because Railtrack are undertaking substantial maintenance work on it, and it should not be missed. We are playing our part in supporting the SRA. We have earmarked a further £1.5 million toward the completion of the future design if we find there is a viable enhancement scheme. We have also indicated our willingness to fund, on a commercial basis, airport related elements including a second tunnel if and when that proves necessary.”
Notes to Editors
1. The West Anglia route is heavily congested, and demand for services is expected to increase still further in the future, with projected increases coming from both airport and commuting services. The SRA’s West Anglia Route Modernisation Enhancements (WARM(E), project is designed to provide significant capacity and other performance improvements on this route.
2. The SRA has contracted £1 million with Railtrack for initial design and costing on certain options for WARM(E), and for provision to be made for possible enhancement as renewals are carried out. The work programme covers a number of enhancement options, including:
- Additional tracks between Tottenham Hale – Brimsdown
- Additional platforms at Liverpool Street
- Additional capacity at Cambridge Station
- Line speed and other performance improvements
- Development of services to Stratford
